US20120070027A1

US20120070027A1 - Headset With Magnetically Attached Ear Pad

Info

Publication number: US20120070027A1
Application number: US13/203,968
Authority: US
Inventors: Bettina Ridler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: GN Audio AS
Priority date: 2009-03-02
Filing date: 2009-03-02
Publication date: 2012-03-22
Also published as: US9332337B2; US20130343565A1; CN102342130A; WO2010099794A1

Abstract

A headset (1) comprising at least one earphone (2, 3) with at a first earphone side (39) and earphone attachment means (14) for detachably attaching an ear pad (8) with co-operating ear pad attachment means (16) to the first earphone side (39). The headset (1) further comprises a wearing device (4) for attaching the headset (1) to the head of a user, such that the first earphone side (39) faces the ear. The earphone attachment means comprise magnetic elements (14), such that an ear pad (8) with co-operating magnetic ear pad attachment means (15) can be magnetically attached to the earphone (2, 3). The invention also relates to such an ear pad (8).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a headset comprising at least one earphone with a first earphone side and earphone attachment means for detachably attaching an ear pad with co-operating ear pad attachment means to the first earphone side, and where the headset further comprising a wearing device for attaching the headset to the head of a user, such that first earphone side faces the ear.

BACKGROUND ART

Many headsets or headphones are provided with replaceable ear pads or ear cushions, as these are subject to wear and becomes dirty by extensive use. Therefore, it is possible to substitute the ear pads with new ones.
The Jabra GN 9120 is a headset according to the preamble of claim 1. The ear pad is ring-shaped and comprises an inner ring, which together with a protrusion with an undercut on the earphone provides a “snap” solution. Other headsets provide other mechanical attachment means for detachably attaching the ear pad to the earphone.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide an easy and efficient way of attaching and detaching an ear pad to and from an earphone of a headset.
The headset according to the preamble is characterized in that the earphone attachment means comprise magnetic elements, such that an ear pad with co-operating magnetic ear pad attachment means can be magnetically attached to the earphone. With such a solution, it is very easy to attach the ear pad to the earphone and detach it again. This provides the following advantages. At call centres there are often several users sharing one headset (work in shift). If it was fast and simple to change the cushions, each user could have their own private set to put on in the beginning of their shift. It would be more hygienic and give the user a better experience using the headset. In addition, dirty cushions are to take off and clean, e.g. under water.
With the term “magnetic elements” is meant elements of materials, which can be magnetized or are strongly attracted to a magnet. In most cases, these materials are ferromagnetic. Ferromagnetic materials include iron, nickel, cobalt, some rare earth metals and some of their alloys. At least one of the magnetic elements must be a permanent magnet. Permanent magnets are made from “hard” ferromagnetic materials, which stay magnetized. “Soft” ferromagnetic materials like soft iron are attracted to a magnet but do not tend to stay magnetized.
A headset according to the invention may further comprise an ear pad with magnetic ear pad attachment means.
According to an embodiment, the ear pad attachment means comprises a magnetic ear pad attachment element of ferromagnetic material extending along the periphery of a first ear pad side, which faces the first earphone side, when the ear pad is attached to earphone.
According to an embodiment, the periphery of the first ear pad side is circular and the ear pad attachment element is ring-shaped. In this case, it is not necessary for the user to orient the ear pad in a certain direction in order to attach it to the earphone.
According to a preferred embodiment, the earphone attachment means comprise one ore more permanent magnets. In this case, the ear pad attachment element(s) can be made of soft ferromagnetic materials like soft iron or steel.
According to the invention, the earphone attachment means can comprise a number of permanent magnets arranged around a sound passage at the first earphone side. With such an arrangement, it is easier to obtain a firm magnetic attachment of the ear pad to the earphone.
Preferably, the earphone and the ear pad comprise mechanical positioning means for preventing mutual displacement in a direction parallel with first earphone side and the first ear pad side. This ensures that the ear pad and the earphone are aligned in attached condition.
In a very simple embodiment, the earphone and/or the ear pad comprise one ore more protrusions that lies outside the outer periphery of the other of the earphone or ear pad in the attached condition.
Typically, the mechanical positioning means comprises a protrusion and a co-operating recess.
According to an embodiment, the ear pad comprises a ring-shaped ear cushion. Thus, the ring-shaped ear cushion surrounds a hole leading audio from the earphone to the ear.
According to an embodiment, the wearing device is a headband or neckband, wherein the headset comprises two earphones interconnected by the wearing device. Alternatively, the headset may comprise a headband or neckband and only one earphone.
The invention also relates to an ear pad for an earphone, said ear pad comprises ear pad attachment means for detachably attaching the ear pad to an earphone with co-operating earphone attachment means. The ear pad according to the invention is characterized in that the ear pad attachment means comprises at least one magnetic element, such that it can be magnetically attached to an earphone with co-operating magnetic earphone attachment means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which

FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a headset according the invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through an earphone and an ear pad of the headset according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is showing the same as FIG. 2, but the earphone and the ear pad are detached from each other,

FIG. 4 is the earphone and the ear pad seen in the direction of the arrow IV in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is the ear pad seen in the direction of the arrow V in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is the earphone seen in the direction of the arrow VI in FIG. 3,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view through an ear pad according a second embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 8 is an ear phone and an ear pad according to third embodiment shown in the same way as in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 9 is the ear pad according to the third embodiment shown in the same way as in FIG. 5.

The following reference signs are used in the figures and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.


1	headset
2	right earphone
3	left earphone
4	headband
5	microphone arm
6	first headband part
7	second headband part
8	ear pad
9	ear plate
10	speaker housing
11	wire
12	headband attachment part
13	microphone attachment part
14	magnet
15	steel ring
16	first side of speaker housing
17	ear cushion
18	headband opening
19	centre axis
20	speaker
21	sound holes
22	arrow
23	first circular projection
24	second circular projection
25	inner side of first circular projection
26	outer side of first circular projection
27	inner side of second circular projection
28	outer side of second circular projection
29	inner side of steel ring
30	inner side of hole in ear pad
31	inner side of hole in ear plate
32	covering part of ear cushion
33	hole in steel ring
34	second side of ear cushion
35	ear pad hole
36	ear plate hole (sound passage)
37	ring-shaped recess in ear plate
38	microphone
39	first earphone side
40	second earphone side
41	first ear pad side
42	second ear pad side
43	third headband part

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 discloses an embodiment of a headset 1 according to the invention. The headset 1 is a wired communication headset of the duo type, which means that it comprises two earphones 2, 3. A headband 4 connects the two earphones 2, 3 and a microphone 38 is arranged at the free end of a microphone arm 5. The headband 4 is adapted to fit over the top of the user's head during use and hold the earphones 2, 3 on each ear. On the side facing the ear, an ear pad 8 is attached on each earphone 2, 3. Each earphone 2, 3 comprises a speaker housing 10, an ear plate 9 and a headband attachment part 12. The headband 4 comprises a first headband part 6, a second headband part 7 and a third headband part 43. The first and second headband parts 6, 7 are attached to the headband attachment part 12 of each earphone 2, 3. The third headband part 43 is telescopically received within the first and second headband parts 6, 7, such that the length of the headband 4 can be adjusted to the size of the user's head.
A wire 11 is attached to the speaker housing 10 of the second earphone 3 and connects the headset 1 to a telephone or computer. A not shown wire extends along or through the headband 4 between the first and the second earphone 2, 3.
The microphone arm 5 is rotatably attached to the second earphone 3 by means of a microphone attachment part 13, whereby the microphone arm 5 can be adjusted in relation to the mouth of the user.
FIG. 2 discloses a sectional view through the first earphone 2 of FIG. 1. The speaker housing 10 contains a speaker 20 and audio from the speaker 20 is led through sound holes 21 in a first side 16 of the speaker housing 10, through an ear plate hole 36 and an ear pad hole 35 to the ear of the user.
A headband opening 18 in the headband attachment part 12 is used for attaching the first headband part 6 and receiving the wire extending along the headband 4 to the first earphone 2. The first headband part 6 and the wire are not shown for clarity reasons.
In FIG. 3, the ear pad 8 is detached from the earphone 2. The earphone 2 and, thus the ear plate 14, has a first earphone side 39 facing the ear pad 8 and a second earphone side 40 facing away from the ear pad 8. The earphone 2 and the ear pad 8 are circular in a plane perpendicular to the centre axis 19 shown in FIG. 2.
The ear plate 9 comprises on the first earphone side 39 four permanent magnets 14, whereof two are visible in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The ear pad 8 comprises a first ear pad side 41 facing the earphone 2 and a second ear pad side 42 facing the user's ear during use. The ear pad 9 comprises a ring-shaped relatively soft ear cushion 17 with an inner side 30 surrounding the ear pad hole 35 and a flat steel ring 15 at the first ear pad side 41. The steel ring 15 is ferromagnetic, which means that it is attracted to the permanent magnets 14 of the ear plate 9. Thus, the ear pad 8 can be attached to the earphone 2 by magnetic force. In FIG. 2 it can be seen, that the magnets 14 and the steel ring 15 abuts each other. By pulling the ear pad 8 away with a certain force, the user can detach the ear pad 8 from the earphone 2. The ear plate 9 comprises a first circular projection 23 surrounding the ear plate hole 36. An inner wall 31 of the ear plate 9 bounds the ear plate hole 36. The ear plate 9 comprises a second circular projection 24 that lies outside the first circular projection 23. A ring-shaped recess 37 separates the first circular projection 23 and the second circular projection 24. The outer side 28 of the second circular projection 24 has a diameter that is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the steel ring 15 of the ear pad 8. Thus, when the ear pad 8 is attached to the earphone 2 as shown in FIG. 2, the inner side 29 of the steel ring 15 defines a hole 33 that receives the second projection 24. In this way the projection 24 and the steel ring 15 work as mechanical positioning means preventing mutual displacement in a direction parallel with first earphone side 39 and the first ear pad side 41. In addition, these positioning means facilitates aligning the earphone 2 and the ear pad 8 during attaching. The positioning means could be embodied in different ways. Thus, a ring-shaped member on the ear pad 8 could be adapted to fit in the ear plate hole 36 or the ring-shaped recess 37 of the ear plate 9. Another solution would be an outer skirt protruding from the ear pad 8 or the earphone 2 and encircling the periphery of the other.
FIG. 4 discloses the earphone 2 with attached ear pad 8 from the second ear pad side 42. The first side 16 of the speaker housing 10 and the sound holes 21 in this first side 16 are visible through the ear pad hole 35.
FIG. 5 discloses the ear pad 8 from the first ear pad side 41, and FIG. 6 discloses the earphone 2 from the first earphone side 39. As indicated, the ring-shaped recess 37 is bounded by the outer side 26 of the first circular projection 23 and the inner side 27 of the second circular projection 24. An inner side 25 of the first circular projection 24 coincides with the inner side 31 of the hole 36 in the ear plate 9.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view through an ear pad 8 according a second embodiment of the invention. The ear pad 2 differs from the ear pad according to the first embodiment by the steel ring 15 being embedded in the ear cushion 17 and thus covered by a covering part 32 of the ear cushion 17. Thus, the steel ring 15 is better protected and can be more firmly attached to the ear cushion 17.
FIG. 8 discloses an end view of a third embodiment, wherein the earphone 2 and the ear pad 8 are square. A permanent magnet 14 is arranged in each corner of the earphone 2. FIG. 9 discloses the ear pad 8 of the third embodiment from the first side 41, and it can be seen that the steel ring 15 is square.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Thus, the headset can be a mono-headset with only one earphone, a headset without a microphone. In addition, the wearing device can be the integrated with the earphone and/or the ear pad, such that the headset is attached to the head of the user by being inserted to in the ear. Thus, the ear pad also covers embodiments, which normally are referred to as ear buds.
In addition, the ear pad can be provided with one or permanent magnets and the earphone with magnetic elements of soft magnetic material. Alternatively, both the earphone and the ear pad could be provided with permanent magnets.
Although a wired headset is described here, it could as well be a wireless headset, e.g. communicating with another telecommunication device by wireless Bluetooth or DECT technology.

Claims

1. A headset comprising at least one earphone with at a first earphone side and earphone attachment for detachably attaching an ear pad with co-operating ear pad attachment to the first earphone side, and where the headset further comprising a wearing device for attaching the headset to the head of a user, such that the first earphone side faces the ear, wherein the earphone attachment comprise magnetic elements, such that an ear pad with co-operating magnetic ear pad attachment means can be magnetically attached to the earphone.

2. A headset according to claim 1, wherein the headset further comprises an ear pad with magnetic ear pad attachment.

3. A headset according to claim 2, wherein the ear pad attachment means comprises a magnetic ear pad attachment element of ferromagnetic material extending along the periphery of a first ear pad side, which faces the first earphone side, when the ear pad is attached to earphone.

4. A headset according to claim 3, wherein the periphery of the first ear pad side is circular and the ear pad attachment element is ring-shaped.

5. A headset according to claim 3, wherein the earphone attachment comprise one ore more permanent magnets.

6. A headset according to claim 5, wherein the earphone attachment comprise a number of permanent magnets arranged around a sound passage at the first earphone side.

7. A headset (1) according to claim 1, wherein the earphone and the ear pad (8) comprise mechanical positioner for preventing mutual displacement in a direction parallel with first earphone side and the first ear pad side.

8. A headset according to claim 7, wherein the mechanical positioner comprises a protrusion and a co-operating recess.

9. A headset according to claim 1, wherein the ear pad comprises a ring-shaped ear cushion.

10. A headset according to claim 1, wherein the wearing device is a headband or neckband, and wherein the headset comprises two earphones interconnected by the wearing device.

11. An ear pad for an earphone, said ear pad comprises ear pad attachment for detachably attaching the ear pad to an earphone with co-operating earphone attachment, wherein the ear pad attachment comprises at least one magnetic element, such that it can be magnetically attached to an earphone with co-operating magnetic earphone attachment.